Dream Weaver
by Albyfoxx
Summary: Legends speak of a land hidden beyond a vast boundary. This land, filled with myths and beings that humans can only dream of, has a dangerous reputation. So, what happens when a young, ordinary human girl finds her way into this mysterious realm? Plagued by horrifying nightmares, she tries to adapt. -INDEFINITE HIATUS-
1. Story of the Weaver

Where... where am I? What is this place? It's completely pitch black... I can't see a thing. No, that isn't entirely true. I can see something. Eyes. Thousands of them, staring at me. Huge ones, small ones, though they all had purple irises. How strange...

Is... that a voice? Am I hearing things? Is this place... messing with my head? Maybe... maybe not... what's it saying..?

'**Tell me a story**'.

A... story? I don't know a-

'**Your story**.'

Mine? Well... I don't have much to te-

'**Now**.'

So pushy... alright, alright, I'll tell you my story.

My name... my name is Serra. Serra Anwen. I am, or, was I suppose, just your typical sixteen year old girl. I went to school, lived with both parents, and one younger brother, had friends, had a part time job... simple stuff. That is... until something happened. Mother fell ill. The doctors said she didn't have a chance. They were right. She died five days later. Father was ruined. But he didn't do the usual thing, like take to drugs to ease the pain. No, he refused to do that. That would've dishonoured is beloved wife.

No, instead of that, he decided that I needed to be ready for anything. Through his grieving, he taught me how to fight. Father used to be in a crime gang, where he learned how to fight in a lot of ways. Hand-to-hand, melee weapons and firearms. This started when I was fourteen, and still goes on. Or... it would, if I wasn't here.

So, he trained me. And soon I was really strong. He taught me how to use guns, how to use weaponry. My favourite was the axe. He taught me so much about life, as well. Like who to trust, and how to know if I can trust them.

Of course, he taught my brother these things too, but not as vigorously as he did for me. Not hard to see why, really. His wife had just died, and he didn't want the same to happen to his daughter.

And so, that was my life. Right up until... I guess yesterday? I was walking home from school, when this creep jumped me. I guess he figured I was weak and an easy target. Boy was he wrong. So after I broke his arm, cracked a few ribs and hurled him into a wall, this... thing, just showed up out of nowhere. It was a big... I don't really know how to describe it. It was like a rip in space. Inside it was purple, and there... were... eyes... wait... this is... this is the inside of that rip..!?

'**Continue**'.

Right, right... sorry. Anyway... it looked like it was tied together by two ribbons, too. And then this giant, white hand came out of it, grabbed me and pulled me in. I blacked out, and I guess... I'm here.

'**Interesting. Thank you for your time. Have a safe trip**'.

Wait... what? A safe trip? Does that mean I can leave now, oh thank goo-

***WHUMP***


	2. The Brink

**So with the necessary introduction chapter out of the way, hello everyone out there, and thanks for taking the time to look at my story! That's... all I really wanted to say. So, next chapter go!**

* * *

Serra's eyes shoot open, and she quickly sits up, looking at her surroundings. "I'm... alive? But... where am I?" she quietly asks herself, taking in the scenery. 'This... is definitely not Earth. On the plus side, it's not that damn void.' she thinks. And how right she is. Around her, is nothing but barren, charcoal coloured ground, with crystal-like structures dotting the landscape. Above her, is a cloudless, sunless sky, though what strikes her the most is that it's blood red in colour. Finally, there's a strange, purple mist covering the area. Unfortunately for her...

***CHOKE***

Breathing in the mist is harmful to her. Her vision begins to fade, and her insides feel as though they're on fire. It's agony for the poor girl, and yet, she can't even scream. One thought passes her mind before she blacks out.

'I can't die. Not here.'

* * *

Luckily for the poor girl, another person had happened upon the scene. A seemingly young, blonde girl with golden eyes had discovered the unconscious human. There's nothing special about this one. Brown hair that reaches her shoulders, and wearing a blue, sleeveless top and baggy black pants, boots covering her feet. Also by her side is a strange axe. Normally, she would've ignored this. Humans aren't to be trusted. But then her good nature took over. She's still only a child, after all. So with a sigh, the conscious girl heaves the other over her shoulder, picks the axe up, and carries her back to safety.

* * *

For the second time, Serra's blue eyes open, and she sits up. Strangely, she's now in a sort of bed... and a room. There's no mist here, so she's able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Oh, you're awake. 'bout time." comes a voice from her side. Turning her head reveals a young girl, who appears to be about the same age as her. Blonde hair and golden eyes, which Serra finds to be rather strange, and wearing a black vest over a white shirt, black skirt, and a black hat, with a white ribbon tied around it. 'What a strange appearance...'

"What're ya starin' at? Got a problem?" she asks in a rather threatening tone. Not wanting to anger someone in her current state, Serra shakes her head. "N-no, sorry... I've just never seen anyone with yellow eyes before... I didn't mean to stare..." she quietly replies, glancing away.

"Wha-, really? Never, huh? Nevermind that... the hell ya doin' in Makai? Dont'cha know this place is really dangerous to humans?" Well, that helped to confirm Serra's suspicions on the matter. Now she's definitely not on Earth. Another shake of the head.

"Sheesh... what're you, stupid?" 'Hey! I resent that!' "Fine, I'll tell ya. Name's Yuki, by the way." the 'witch' speaks up again. "Makai's a place full o' demons. M'sure you've heard of _those_, at least." I nod. "Well they're real. And this's where they all live. Y'won't be findin' any humans here. Either they all get eaten, or die t'the miasma out there."

"Miasma..? Is that what that purple mist was..?" the human girl asks. Yuki nods. "The miasma's heavily toxic to any non-magical being. I'm surprised you're still alive. You're lucky I found ya." Seems Yuki was her saviour. How nice! "W-well... thank you for helping me..." Serra replies, bowing her head. Yuki chuckles. "T'was nothin'. Couldn't let a kid die off for no reason. Mai woulda killed me if she found out." Before Serra can ask who this 'Mai' is...

"Yuki, who're you talking t- Oh! You're awake!" another person steps into the room. Blue hair and eyes... that's already strange to Serra. This newcomer wears a pink dress down to her knees and... 'What. Are those _wings_!? Holy crap! I don't mean to stare, but this girl has freaking wings!' Serra just blinks a few times, before remembering it's rude to stare, and glancing away. "Aye, she woke up a few minutes ago, Sis. This 'ere is Mai, by t'way." The winged girl, identified as Mai, bows politely. "A pleasure. Now, it's rude to not introduce yourself, so tell us your name."

"O-oh... sorry... my name is Serra... Serra Anwen. Thank you very much for helping me..." Serra replies, turning back and bowing.

"It's no trouble at all." Mai replies with a smile. "Now, how about you tell us what exactly happened, and how you ended up out there?"

So she did.

* * *

**So our heroine seems to have landed herself in a rather dangerous spot. Thankfully, she managed to get some help out there. But, with that miasma everywhere, she won't be leaving any time soon..**

**And for those who saw this chapter already, I decided to change the whole thing, aside from the first chapter, into third person. I think it works a tad better. Things between apostrophes are thoughts, to clear any confusion.**


	3. A Plan of Escape

"Huh... well ain't that interestin'. So you say that a rift dragged you from this place called Cambridge, into a void filled with eyes, and then dumped you out here." Yuki is the first to speak as Serra finishes her story, to which she nods her head.

"Well, that's hardly the least believable thing we've heard in our lives, now isn't it, Sister?" Mai adds, crossing her arms over her chest. "With how this place works, it wouldn't surprise me if it were to be true."

Serra nods again, then suddenly seems to remember something. She turns to Yuki. "Um... tell me, was there anything around me when I'd passed out?" she asks, a hopeful look in her eyes.

Yuki thinks for a moment, then snaps her fingers and nods. "Yeah, there was. I picked that up, too. S'downstairs. Pretty nice lookin' axe, if y'ask me." the witch replies, to which Serra breathes a sigh of relief. "Good... I thought it was lost... my father gave that to me, so it's important in my eyes."

"Well, are you feeling alright? Well enough to stand?" Mai speaks next, offering a hand to help Serra up. She takes it, and with a bit of struggling, manages to get out of bed and stand on her wobbly feet. "Yeah... yeah, I can stand. Thank you. May we take this downstairs?"

* * *

The three make their way down to the kitchen, where Mai prepares tea for herself and Serra, while Yuki opts for a bottle of a strong smelling liquid. Serra doesn't ask about it. As promised, on the table is a beautifull crafted one-handed axe. The head is rather large and very sharp, and looks as though it's been painted to resemble a dragon's face. Similarly, along the sturdy, scale-green shaft, protrude two wing-like structures that act as a hand guard. The base resembles a dragon's tail, and also looks to be rather dangerous. Serra slots it into a holder upon her back. Mai then serves the tea, which Serra gratefully takes a sip of. Only now is she realizing how thirsty she is, but strangely, she's not even hungry.

"So... Yuki told me this place is dangerous for humans, and that it's a world of demons. I assume that means you two are..?" Serra begins, to which she's cut off by Yuki. "Aye, that's right. Sis and I are demons. Witches, to be specific. I use fire, she uses ice." the blonde witch replies, taking a swig from her bottle, which Serra can only assume to be something alcoholic. "And don't you go worryin' now. We never intended on harmin' ya." she adds upon seeing the slightly fearful look in Serra's eyes.

"R-right... sorry." Serra quickly apologizes, to which Mai giggles. "No need, no need. Of course you'd be a bit scared. I mean, from what you've said, there aren't any of us where you're from, right?" A nod from Serra confirms this. "Now then. We need to figure out a way for getting you out of Makai safely. I'm sorry, but you just can't stay here. It's far too dangerous." A second nod. Mai cracks a smile. "Fortunately for you, the seal that has seperated us from our neighboring dimension, Gensokyo, has been dropped. I guess the miko there trusts us enough to keep things civil from now on." Yuki audibly growls at this, but says nothing. Mai continues. "Now the problem is getting you to the border. I have an idea, but it may not work... and it would be rather uncomfortable for you, too. It may be our only choice, though..."

"Does it involve killing me? If not, then I'll go through with it. I need to get out of here ASAP..." Serra replies, nodding. So, Mai stands up, and snaps her fingers. "Sorry for this, then. Please forgive me when you thaw out." Thaw out? What does sh-

***SHING***

That answered it. With a snap of her finger, Mai froze Serra in a thick block of ice. "There. That should keep her safe from the miasma. Let's get her out of here." With a nod from her sister, the pair of witches pick up the ice cube, and carry it away.

* * *

**Well, that's one way to keep someone safe from a toxic mist. Hopefully our poor heroine won't be too stiff once she's thawed out...**


	4. Savior

The first thing Serra notices upon coming to her senses is the sun, shining bright in the blue sky above. The second thing she notices is that it's freaking _**COLD**_! That's when she remembers how the witch sisters had managed to get her out of Makai. By freezing her solid. Miasma couldn't touch her if she was in an airtight container, after all. Steadily rising to her feet and shaking her head to clear her mind, she glances around. Quite a welcome change to the dark, bleak Makai. There's actually plant life, and light here. And none of that damnable miasma. She notices a slip of paper on the ground a few feet away from where she'd been resting. Must be a note that the witch sisters left for her. She picks it up and reads it.

"Sorry about the... crude way of getting you out. No choice, you see. Anyway, when you wake up, look for the Hakurei Shrine. The shrine maiden there should be able to give you a hand, or at least point you to somewhere safe to stay.

Mai."

"Hakurei Shrine, huh... a description of it would've been nice. Oh well. Time to start searching..."

* * *

"When I said searching, I didn't mean searching for trouble, dammit!" Serra yells as she flees through a dark forest, from some unknown entity. She wasn't able to get a look at her attacker before it happened. Even now, looking back only reveals a sphere of pure black. Not to mention the dozens of white energy bullets being fired all over the place. There's a large, singed hole in the back of her shirt from where one of those bullets hit her, and damn did it _**HURT**_!

"C'mooooooon! Just one biiiiiiiiiite!" a childish, whiny voice comes from the orb. That's right, this dark sphere had actually claimed it wants to _eat_ her. "No! Go away! Leave m- GYAH!" Serra's retort is cut off as she trips on a tree root, falling to the ground with a thud.

"Goooooootcha~!" the voice once again speaks, in a sing-song tone as it closes in. But before it can get too close, two slips of paper fly out from behind the trees, and strike the orb. They disappear inside of it, and explode! A little girl, looking no older than ten years old, with blonde hair and wearing a black dress over a white shirt with a red ribbon in her hair is forcefully ejected from the dark sphere, and launched far away from the blast. Serra can't really believe what just happened. As if to make things more unbelievable, another girl appears. Serra quickly gets to her feet to get a better look.

Brown hair and eyes, with a large red ribbon tied in her hair. This strange new girl is wearing what looks like a red robe of sorts, with detached white sleeves. She's holding an odd stick, too, with paper streamers on it. She sighs and facepalms. "Dammit Rumia... how many times do I have to put you down before you learn to stop going after humans?" she mumbles to herself in an annoyed manner.

"U-um... excuse me..." Serra nervously speaks, to which the stranger holds up a hand to stop her. "I'd suggest talking somewhere else. This place isn't exactly the best place for a chat." she says, and lifts into the air, beckoning. "Come on. I'll lead you back to my shrine." Serra just kind of stares. This girl seemed normal enough, like an ordinary human. But then she began _flying_. "Um... I kinda can't fly..." she says, to which her savior sighs. "A newcomer, huh? Dammit Yukari..." she grumbles, and grabs Serra's hand. "Come on then, I'll fly you there. My name is Reimu Hakurei, by the way." 'Wait... Hakurei? That's who Mai told me to look for!' Serra thinks to herself, a little relieved that she found her way.

And so, Reimu takes off, holding a very frightened Serra.


	5. Danmaku 101

**I just want to give a big thank you to Sonanoka21093, for his/her very kind reviews! That's just about the best feeling for an aspiring Fanfic author, so thank you very much! Now on with the show!**

* * *

"So... let me get this straight. You fell into a void full of purple eyes." A nod. "And you landed in _Makai_, and lived." Another nod. "And now you're here at my shrine, looking for a place to stay for a bit, and maybe learn a thing or two about this world." Serra's third nod confirms the entire recap. Reimu sighs and facepalms. Seems she likes doing that. "God dammit Yukari..."

Reimu had taken Serra back to the Hakurei Shrine, where she had told the Miko her story. She took it surprisingly well, for, as had been confirmed, a normal human. Serra had assumed those didn't exist here. It's nice to be wrong sometimes!

"Right then!" The Shrine Maiden exclaims, clapping her hands and getting to her feet. "I assume since Yukari brought you here, you must be able to survive in this world. Maybe you just need a little kickstart." Well that's vague. Serra merely tilts her head. Another sigh. "You saw how I dealt with that youkai chasing you, right?" Reimu adds, taking out similar slips of paper. "These are what is refered to in this world as 'danmaku'. Danmaku is the main form of combat here in Gensokyo. The most basic way to explain them would be projectiles of energy that draw a resemblence to the user. Since I'm a shrine maiden, my danmaku is talismans. One user resembles butterflies, and another uses knives, to give an example." Serra nods, understanding this. Surpisingly.

"Normally I wouldn't care too much, and just send you off to the Human Village." 'Wow... thanks a lot.' "But you must be important to Yukari for something, so I'll tell you how to create danmaku." Reimu continues, beckoning for Serra to follow her outside.

* * *

Now in the courtyard, Reimu tosses her talismans, or ofuda, at a nearby tree, where they embed themselves in the bark...

***BOOM***

...and then explode in a brilliant shower of light! Serra can't help but stare in amazement, and clap. This actually gets a chuckle out of Reimu. "Now I don't exactly remember how I first created my danmaku... but I know it has a lot to do with concentration. Focus, draw upon your inner energy, and guide it to your hands." Serra nods, and takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. 'Focus... draw upon my energy... and guide it...' the thinks to herself repeatedly. She feels a spark somewhere in her body, and guesses she's on the right track. She opens her eyes, and is met with a shock. In her hand, is a single, purple sphere of energy, just floating there. "W-woah... did... did I do it?" It's just surprise after surprise. Reimu _smiles_. "Well done. Now, go ahead and throw it." Serra nods, and thrusts her arm forwards. The orb launches from her hand into the same tree Reimu had used as target practice, and bursts against the bark, bathing it in a deep, purple glow, but seemingly not doing anything to damage it. "I... I did it!" the very happy and excited girl exclaims, twirling and giggling. At heart, she's still an excitable teenager, after all!

"Now now, don't get too confident. You'll need to be able to do that on the fly to survive in proper combat." Reimu warns, to which Serra calms down, and pouts. "Darn it... guess I need to keep practicing..." she mumbles, and gets straight back to creating those orbs. Each one, she makes quicker than the last.

* * *

**So it seems our heroine is adapting rather quickly to her new home. Hopefully she can get used to it before anything happens...**


	6. Nightmare

Serra huffs, leaning on the broom that Reimu had given to her. Since it was getting dark out, and the Human Village was a ways away, the shrine maiden had allowed the lost human to stay the night, provided she work for it. So here Serra is, sweeping the courtyard of the run-down shrine. Reimu had even given her some spare clothes, since hers were ruined by the youkai attack. And of course, they resembled the miko's, being a shrine maiden uniform.

Of course, Serra had also been practising the entire time as well. Now, she was able to call her danmaku after only a second or two of concentration, and can even manage two at once now! While impressed with her progress, Reimu warned her that she still needed to practice. Two orbs every second won't help her. But for now, sweeping is her duty, and she intends to do it! Reimu's been so nice to her, afterall...

With her duties done, and thoroughly worn out, Serra retires to the room Reimu has provided for her. She's never slept in a futon before... might be a nice change.

* * *

Serra's eyes gradually open to blue skies over her head. Clouds... she'd almost forgotten what those look like. Glancing around, she spots a vast, green field, dotted with flowers. It's like an ocean of colour. 'This must be a dream...' she thinks to herself, 'But it's a very beautiful one...' Sighing contently, she lays back on the grassy plains, utterly relaxed. That is, until she glances to the side.

A wing. Not like Mai's, which were white and feathered, but one more closely resembling a bat. Black and leathery. She blinks, wondering who that belongs to. Until she sits up again, and it follows her. That's her wing. Now this has become an odd dream. Quickly getting to her feet, she glances over her shoulder. Not only does she have a pair of wings, but a thin tail extends from her tail-bone extending about two foot in length before ending with a tip resembling the spade from a pack of cards. How... very strange. And it's upon noticing this, that things take a turn for the worse.

* * *

The vision of pure beauty vanishes before her eyes, and in its place, twisted images form. What resemble human faces, only lacking eyes, fade into view, their faces contorted in agony and anguish And the screaming. It drills into her mind. Those eyes from before, the ones inside the void, two of those open above the mass of wailing faces. And then those tortured souls cease their cries, their empty eyes focusing their gaze upon Serra. And they all grin.

With a scream, Serra shoots up in her futon, panting heavily. She's drenched in sweat, and quivering from fear. What a nightmare... it's not the worst she's had, but they still affect her horribly.

Serra frequently suffers from nightmares. They typically involve a peaceful, harmonic scene warping into something gruesome, like that one had. But they had never involved the souls of the damned, by the looks of it. Nor those eyes. Nor had she herself ever morphed. This... is all too strange. And all too frightening.

* * *

**Title relevance~!**


	7. A Place to Call Home

"Good morning..." a groggy Serra speaks to her host as she plops down at the table, which Reimu had informed her was called a kotatsu. The miko raises an eyebrow. "Bad night?" she asks, to which Serra replies with a sigh and a nod.

"Never mind that.. you said that I should go and look for the Human Village today, right?" A nod from the Shrine Maiden of Paradise. "I should probably get a move on then. Thank you for taking me in tonight, Reimu." she continues, standing up and bowing. "Hey now, you don't have to leave right away. I don't mind your company. It gets boring around here anyway." Huh... does this mean that Serra's made a friend here? "Besides, it'd be troublesome if you went and got yourself killed." Scratch that tought.

"It's... really okay? I can stay here?" A nod. "So long as you keep working, then yes. You may." A sigh of relief. Serra sits back down at the kotatsu, a bright smile now illuminating her tired face. "Thank you very much, Reimu." "Don't mention it. Now let's have some tea, and get to work."

* * *

And work they did. Or, more so, work Serra did. Reimu just sort of sat outside, drinking tea while Serra busied herself with cleaning and training. Strangely enough, now she was able to fire two of those bullets from one hand at a time, with almost no charge time needed. A definite improvement! It's during one of these training sessions that Reimu stops her.

"Since you're getting used to danmaku, I figure it's about time that I teach you another important aspect of combat here." Serra nods. Reimu takes out a card, and shows it. "This is a spellcard. These are sort of our trump cards, if you will. Everyone who can use danmaku is required to have at least one, since the new rules I created." Well isn't she proud of that. "Jewel Sign, 'Concealed Orbs of Light'!" the Shrine Maiden declares, and tosses out three large yin yang orbs that bounce around a few times before fading. "Spellcards allow us to use our full potential in a fight. It's also entirely non-lethal. I made these rules for people to resolve their arguments in a safe way, and also so they could challenge me, with the potential of winning." That sounds reasonable enough. Reimu then stops with her explanation, and raises an eyebrow. "Check your pocket."

Confused, Serra does as requested. Imagine the look of surprise upon her face when she finds one of those spellcards there! "Are... you sure you're from the outside world? You had a spellcard before I even told you about them." to which Serra nods. "Positive... should I try to use it?" "Go for it. You just hold the card up, and declare the name of it." The outsider human takes a deep breath, lifts the card over her head, and declares it. "Nightmare 'Agonizing Scream'!"

Serra's body seems to go on auto-pilot. Without warning, she screams to the skies, a large shockwave of sound emanating from her body. Reimu barely avoids it, due to how sudden it was. Thankfully, it doesn't damage the shrine! Following the shockwave, bright red orbs cluster above her, and then explode outwards, showering the surrounding area. The two attacks alternate. Soundwave scream, bullets. Gradually speeding up, until both merge into one. Then the card times out. Serra drops to her knees, panting. "W-woah... that was... kinda like my dream..." she mutters, before getting up and shaking her head. "Not bad for a beginner card. Though I guess you're worn out now, huh? Maybe that's enough for one day..." Serra complies, and the pair enter the shrine once more.


	8. The Witch

Imagine the look of surprise on Serra's face upon seeing someone else sitting at the kotatsu. And imagine the look of annoyance on Reimu's upon seeing _who's_ inside the shrine. There at the table, grinning widely, is a blonde haired, golden eyed girl about the same age as Reimu, wearing a classic witch outfit with a comically oversized hat. She strangely resembles Yuki…

"Hey Reimu, hope ya don't mind if I drop in, da ze~" the strange witch girl chuckles, to which Reimu merely crosses her arms… and vanishes. Serra looks confused, but the witch merely swings the broom she'd been holding behind her head, blocking a sneak attack from Reimu's gohei. "Too slow, da ze~. C'mon, don't be like this now. It's not like you to get so worked up, ze~"

"Well perhaps if you announced that you were coming, I wouldn't need to! Sheesh…" Reimu sighs and shakes her head, then sits beside the witch. "It's good to see you again, Marisa." She adds.

* * *

Now that Serra's done being bewildered, she finally sits across from the pair. "Hello. Marisa, was it?" she speaks up, earning a nod from the witch. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Serra. Serra Anwen." She extends her hand over the table for a handshake, which Marisa takes.

"Haven't seen you around before. You new to Gensokyo, ze?"

"Yes, I am. But I'm adapting… slower than I'd like, but adapting. I've already learned about danmaku and spellcards, thanks to Reimu." Serra replies, gesturing to Reimu with a nod of her head. The miko waves a dismissive hand.

"Like I said, I don't want you going off and dying on me." She says. "I've gotten used to having a helper here at the shrine."

"Classic Reimu, ze. Only cares about someone if they do her jobs for her." Marisa chuckles, lightly punching the miko's arm. "Ow! Not true, klepto-witch!"

"N-now now, let's not fight…" Serra sweatdrops, trying to disarm the situation. Thankfully it seems the two are actually good friends, and thus, no further acts of violence occur.

"So that aside, you've learned the rules, ze?" Marisa asks, to which Serra nods. "How many spellcards do you have?"

"Only one." The outsider replies, taking it out and showing it to Marisa. "Nightmare 'Agonizing Scream', huh? Dark." the witch comments, giving it back. "Must've been you I heard screaming then, da ze."

"Y-you heard that..?" Serra asks with a small blush. "Well, yeah. Half of Gensokyo could hear ya, ze."

"W-well anyway! There's still time left in the day… so, I think I want to go look at this Human Village. Is that okay with you, Reimu? All I need is directions." Serra asks. Reimu nods. "Go down the stairs outside the Shrine, and follow the stone path. You'll run into it eventually."

"Great. Thanks!" the Outsider replies, standing up and bowing. "I'll take my leave, then." And leave she does, while Reimu and Marisa merely converse.

* * *

Following the Miko's directions, Serra descends the long, stone staircase. It goes on forever! Well, feels like it does. But she eventually reaches the bottom, and seeing the stone path, follows it. Unbeknownst to her, in the shade, a pair of red eyes watch her. And a fanged smile.


	9. A Battle as Red as a Ground Cherry

"You're baaaaaack~! Time to eeeeeeeat~!" a sudden childish voice cries from somewhere nearby, and before Serra can react, she feels multiple strikes to her back, singeing her clothes and knocking her forwards and onto the ground. She yelps as she falls, quickly getting back up and looking around for her attacker. "Wh-who's there!? Show yourself!"

"Okaaaaaaay~" the voice speaks again, and out from the foliage floats the same girl who had been attacking her before. Rumia, as Reimu had mentioned. "I'm huuuuungry~. Lemme eat you nooooooow~" she grins in a rather disturbing way, salivating.

"N-no way! I like living, thank you!" Serra cries out in response, jumping back and hurling two purple orbs at the youkai. Surprised due to the human's previous lack of danmaku, she barely throws herself out of the way. "Heeeeey! You can do danmaku nooooow! More fuuuuun~!" she giggles, and soon after that, begins her attack proper!

* * *

Rumia lifts into the air and spreads her arms out to the side, vaguely resembling a certain important figure in the outside world... never mind that, as immediately, she fires forth a string of small, red orbs straight at Serra! They're rather slow and easy to avoid though. Jumping aside, Serra launches three volleys of her own shots in rapid succession, amounting to six bullets being flung at Rumia. Still, she'll likely need better than that, as even Rumia evades them with ease. Trying something new, she swipes her arm while channelling her new-found magic, and to her surprise, a spread of about eight bullets shoot forth!

Seeing that her new idea worked, Serra swipes her arms twice more, creating a somewhat dense wave of purple shots that gives her some cover at least. Sadly her opponent doesn't seem to be impressed, and with a comment of "Boooooooring..." she holds up a card. "Moon Sign, 'Moonlight Ray'!" she declares. From her hands, two large, white lasers shoot out, trapping Serra in between. They slowly close in, but stop before reaching her. Then, from Rumia's body, tiny white orbs burst out in all directions. With limited space to manoeuvre, Serra is forced to graze the shots, which damages her clothes more than it does herself. One does manage to sneak past and hit her in the chest, winding her, but she quickly recovers and fires a few of her own volleys. Rumia... surprisingly doesn't even try to avoid them! Perhaps she can't see them with the lasers? Regardless, she doesn't even flinch, though Serra does hear a low hum. So she continues firing while weaving through the bullets, until...

***KRSH!***

The sound of shattered glass, and the attack ends. Rumia seems a bit worse for wear after that, but jumps straight into her next card! "Okay then..! Night Sign 'Night Bird'!" she declares and, similarly to Serra, swipes her arm, sending forth a wave of green bullets. Not too tough to avoid. Then, a wave of blue, from her other arm. Again, not too hard. This continues, gradually speeding up, creating a thicker and thicker field of danmaku, making it exceptionally difficult for Serra to keep dodging! And, backed into a corner...

"Nightmare 'Agonizing Scream'!" she declares her card, and screams. But this time, she has more control. She's able to focus the resulting shockwave on Rumia's position, which blows through her danmaku. Then, utilizing the hole formed, she leaps through, and launches a cluster of blood red bubble-like bullets, which Rumia barely avoids. A second scream catches the youkai just before she can retaliate, and she freezes up, a terrified look upon her face. Is that it..? Can her scream paralyse her opponents!? That's awesome! Taking advantage, she gathers a much larger clump of shots, then hurls them all at once, and they explode on contact with the darkness youkai!

***KRSH!***

* * *

Blown away from the impact of the human's attack, Rumia collides with a tree, and drops to the floor, her eyes spinning. Serra breathes a sigh of relief. "I... I won... I won... I won..! Woohoo~!" she giggles happily, ecstatic about winning her first duel! Blinking a few times, she remembers what she even came out here for, and quickly runs off to continue onwards to the Human Village, leaving the unconscious youkai behind.

* * *

**Whew... fight scenes aren't all that easy to write. I hope I did an okay job..!**


	10. Muscle

The Human Village. It definitely lives up to its name, that's for sure. For the first time since arriving here, Serra's found actual, ordinary humans! It's about time. She was getting a bit tired of magical girls all over the place, and was starting to think there might not be any normal people here. Though, since she's now a spellcard user, can she still even class as normal?

Shaking that thought from her mind, the young girl wanders. It's a pretty big place, more a town than a village, but who is she to question the naming conventions? It's upon finding a local food cart of some sort that she realizes something for the first time. She has no money. Well, no money that would be useful here. This whole land seems to be pretty heavily based on Asia, so she doubts that they'd accept British currency. Maybe she should look for a job… after all, she'd heard Reimu complaining that nobody ever donated to the shrine, so she imagines money is tight for her. Not to mention she wants to repay her.

"'ey, Miss! T'one with t'axe! C'mere for a sec!" a deep, gruff male voice calls for her attention. Now, bear in mind that everyone Serra's encountered so far? Female. Heck, even until now, she'd only seen women within the village. So to find a man was pretty surprising. Glancing over her shoulder, she spots him, and that's definitely a fitting voice he has. This guy's larger than her father, who was already a huge man. Even sitting down, he measures at about six foot in height. She can only imagine how tall he is standing. He's wearing a green tank top and black pants, with a brown cloak over his shoulders. He's balding, with what little hair he has remaining being black, and has a surprisingly kind face. Direct contrast to his rippling muscles that make him look as though he could snap a horse in half with a flick of his wrist. All in all? Scary as Hell. And she's _been_ to Hell. Probably best not to keep him waiting…

"U-um… yes, Sir? How can I help you?" she timidly asks upon approaching. He's even bigger up close. By an estimate, he'd be about eight foot tall standing up. Serra idly wonders how often he's banged his head going through doors.

"S'a pretty good looking weapon y'got there. I don't remember makin' that. Wait, getting' ahead o'myself. Name's Ken'ichi. M'the blacksmith 'round here. I make everythin' this place needs, from farmin' tools t'spears." The man says, extending a massive hand. A little hesitant, she takes his hand in her own, and shakes it. Surprisingly gentle. Seeing her hesitation earns a hearty guffaw from the gentle giant. "Ah c'mon now. Don't be scared o'me. M'completely harmless." The more she speaks with him, the more she's willing to agree with that.

"R-right, sorry. I just haven't seen many men around here…" she answers truthfully. Another booming laugh from him. "M-my name's Serra, by the way."

"Huh. An Outsider, I take it." There's that word again… "Well s'nice to meet ya." He replies, standing up to his full height. Now, for reference, Serra's only about five foot six. Ken'ichi? About eight foot four. "C'mon in. I'll show ya 'round." He adds, entering his store. Hesitant, Serra follows.

* * *

"So whadd'ya think o'my pieces?" Ken'ichi asks. He'd allowed her into the back room, where he prepared tea for the both of them. "Not bad for a man in his twenties, ey?" Cue flat 'what' in Serra's head. This guy is just full of surprises.

"It's… a very impressive selection you have." She replies honestly. Ken'ichi is definitely a skilled craftsman. All of his pieces look to be very sturdy and efficient. "Though, I'm still unsure as to why you called for me, Sir…"

"No need for formalities. Just call me Ken." He speaks, waving a dismissive hand as Serra opens her mouth to protest. "Well, I called y'in for two reasons. One, to ask about that axe y'got there. And two, much as I don't want t'admit it, I need a bit o'help around here. Normally I go out and look for my own materials. But t'youkai are getting' more and more violent nowadays."

"Wait wait wait WAIT. You… really think I'm more capable than you at fighting youkai. Are you CRAZY!?" Serra's outburst is met with a thunderous roar of laughter.

"'course not, 'course not. I'm just messin' with you. What I mean, is I need someone t'watch the store while I'm out. My job is two-part, as well. I also teach self-defence at the school in the village. You seem t'know your way around a weapon or two, so I'm thinkin' you could help me out. 'course, I'll pay ya."

Well that certainly sounds simple enough. Watch the store while he's out gathering materials, and join him every now and then at the school to teach people how to fight. It… sounds like a lot of fun, actually! "Alright, Si-, err… Ken'ichi. I accept." She says after some thought, extending a hand. He shakes it.

"It'll be a pleasure workin' with ya, Serra."

* * *

**Woo. New character. I promise this fic won't turn into an OC-fest. That'd just be silly.**


	11. Change

It isn't until late that Serra returns to the shrine. She had a lovely time with Ken'ichi, who showed her the ropes on how to deal with customers, prices of the weapons, and he even began showing her how to make her own pieces! All in all, it was a very enjoyable day, and she even got paid a little bit of money for her troubles. If having a job was this much fun, she would've got one in the real world a while ago! Her new friend had mentioned that it's much more dangerous at night, and with the sun setting, he accompanies her back to the shrine. Wouldn't want her getting eaten, after all.

Waving goodbye to Ken'ichi, Serra climbs the stairs leading to the shrine. Upon reaching the top, she notices something she hadn't seen before. There's a wooden box with a sort of grate over top of it. Is this a box for donations? Even in the low evening light, she can peer inside of it, and see that it's completely empty. Well... she might as well pay Reimu back this way! Reaching into one of her pockets, she takes out about fifteen hundred yen worth, and drops it into the box. A dull 'clink' as it hits the empty bottom. Wow… how long has it even been since the last donation? Hopefully this will help the poor shrine maiden.

Worn out, Serra returns to her room. She's tired, but… she knows the nightmares will come back should she try to sleep. With a sigh, the outsider lays upon her futon, merely staring at the ceiling. She idly thinks about everything that's happened up until now. Makai, the Shrine, Rumia, Ken'ichi… what next? It's been two days, and already this is her biggest adventure to date. For half an hour, she merely lies there, until finally, her eyes close, and she drifts off to sleep.

* * *

Elsewhere, a mature blonde woman rises from her own slumber, clad in only a purple nightgown. Stifling a yawn, she flicks her wrist, tearing open a rift in space and peering into it. Through the rift, she idly watches Serra drifting off to sleep. She needs to keep an eye on her subject, no? She seems to be adapting quite nicely, at least.

Or not. Just before the blonde woman seals up the rift, she notices something. Serra seems to be pained by something. Perhaps a nightmare? Ah, yes… of course, she remembers now. She'd been watching the young human for quite some time now. Nightmares were frequent for her. So… maybe she should do something to help out.

* * *

Back in Serra's dream, it had already become a horrifying place. Once again, it had begun as a beautiful field. Birds, butterflies, plant life, sunlight. All things that make her happy. But as she looked up, a single droplet of some liquid landed upon her face. It wasn't rain, but blood. The skies became red, all life around her died, replaced by a bleak wasteland. The sun morphed into a horrifying human head, crying blood and shrieking like a banshee. Gnarled, rotting hands erupted from the ground around her, surrounding the terrified human. Paralyzed with fear, she could do nothing as they gripped her, and dragged her down into the abyss.

Until… a light. A bright, soothing light. It shone from Serra herself. The hands retreated, the face above dried its tears, ceased its cries. And… smiled. But not in a creepy way, but one of genuine happiness. Bright blue eyes filled its previously empty sockets. Serra herself had been changed by the light, as well. Her clothing had changed to a pure white robe, one like a priest would wear. Glancing over her shoulder, feathered, white wings had sprouted from her back, as well. Life returned to her little domain. A young fawn bounced up to her. With a smile, she patted its head. A happy dream… this is the first time she's experienced one…

* * *

Opening her eyes, Serra finds herself back in the world of the living. With a sigh, she sits up. Her first happy dream, and it ends so quickly… strange, she feels a bit different… lighter, calmer. Standing, she looks at herself in the mirror… and shrieks.

* * *

**It seems our heroine has received a little outside help… but who is this strange woman? Why does she have an interest in Serra? And what has happened to freak her out so much?**


	12. History

"What… the hell..?" Serra quietly speaks to herself, gazing into the mirror. This… is strange. Very strange. The door to her room opens. Having heard her yell, Reimu had come to take a look at what the problem was. She noticed pretty quickly, though.

"Uh… your eyes weren't always that colour, were they?" the Miko asks, tilting her head, to which Serra replies with a no. Indeed, her eyes had mysteriously changed colour. Instead of blue, they were now a glittering amber colour.

"No… no, they weren't." she says, looking back at the mirror. "Nothing… else has happened, I don't think… but how did this happen in the first place? Wait… could that be it..?"

At the kotatsu, Reimu places a tray with two cups of tea down, and sits opposite Serra. She's still a little shaken up from the whole experience. Taking a sip from her cup, Reimu asks; "So, you had an idea as to what happened?"

"More a theory… but yes. Last night, I had another nightmare. But… it just… suddenly changed into a pleasant dream. The first I've ever had, mind you. When that happened, I changed too." She takes a sip. "Maybe some of those changes carried over… I mean, anything's possible here. Oh, right!"

Serra feels around in her pocket, and after a moment of searching she finds something, and takes it out. A second spell card. "That confirms it… my spellcards form in my dreams." She mutters, looking it over. "Spiritual Ascension, 'Sacred Light'… cool." She puts it back in her pocket, and stands up, stretching. "Well, I should be going. I got a job at the Human Village yesterday. See ya, Reimu!" And she's gone before the Miko can react.

* * *

The trip to the Village was an uneventful one, thankfully. No youkai jumped out at her today, so she arrives without a problem. Today, Ken'ichi was going to be teaching at the school, and wanted for Serra to help him out with some demonstrations. Now, obviously she's nervous as all hell. For one, this will be her first time performing in front of an audience. Second, she has no idea what these demonstrations will be. For all she knows, she could just be the punching bag for this. But she doubts it. Regardless, she makes her way to Ken'ichi's shop.

"Good o' ya to come!" is the greeting she receives from her muscle-bound friend, whom she gives a nervous smile. Seems he's already prepared to be moving out.

"Hello, Ken'ichi. You're teaching today, right?"

"S'right. I teach 'em on Fridays. You'll be helpin' me. Gonna teach t'little ones 'bout fendin' for themselves." He replies, folding his arms and grinning. "Let's go. Don't wanna be late on yer first day, do ya?"

* * *

"Hi-yah!" Serra yells as she leaps and spins forwards in mid-air, dropping her foot in a hefty axe-kick. Ken'ichi crosses his arms in front of his face, Serra's attack bouncing harmlessly off, and he then swipes with both arms, knocking her backwards. She lands on her feet, panting. She hadn't expected this, to actually be fighting Ken'ichi. The guy's built like a truck, and a damn good fighter! The one attack Serra managed to land without getting blocked barely staggered him. And that was a knee to the face. Taking advantage of her pause, Ken'ichi throws a right hook, which catches Serra right in the stomach, tossing her away like a leaf in the wind. She lands with a heavy thud. "…ow."

"An' that, kids, is how ya win a fight." He says, bowing. Serra shakily gets up onto her feet, and bows as well. "Now remember. Y'gotta build yerselves up, if ya wanna be able t'fight youkai. Not everyone o' ya can use danmaku, after all. Doubt any o' ya can at the moment. So when y'get attacked, yer gonna need t'rely on yer physical strength."

While Ken'ichi instructs the class, Serra slinks away to take a seat, rubbing her bruised stomach. He sure packs a punch… "Are you alright? I hope he didn't injure you too badly. He never did learn to hold back." A voice speaks to her, and the source turns out to be another woman. A rather kind, if strict looking lady, with silvery-blue hair and red eyes. She's wearing a blue dress, a red ribbon tied across her chest, and a very strange looking hat. It looks a bit like a house. How odd.

"Y-yes, yes, I'm fine. Thank you. I'm Serra. Serra Anwen." She says, extending a hand.

"Keine Kamishirasawa." The woman replies, taking her hand and shaking it. "It's nice to meet you. I'm the history teacher at this school." History, huh… maybe she could help with this!

"Um, if that's the case, I have a question. Has there ever been a case where a human's eyes just… change colour for no reason? I'm from the Outside World, as it's called, you see, and I don't think that's ever happened out there. At least, not changing from blue to amber."

"It's not unheard of, no. I can see it's happened to you. No one really knows what causes it, but it has happened quite a few times in the past. I wouldn't worry about it too much."

"Right… thank you." Serra bows in thanks. Now she just needs to wait for Ken'ichi to stop showing off so she can get paid and go home…

Wait, home? Does she really consider the Shrine her home now? Well… it does seem to have become that. It's where she eats, sleeps, and feels safe. Doesn't that make it a home?

Oh well.


	13. The Visitor

**By the gods, I am _so sorry_ about the long delay. Inspiration has just... not existed for me. But now it's back! And we're back! So with that, I welcome you to Chapter 13!**

* * *

"AHEM. Ken'ichi? Mind if we talk business here?" Serra catches the burly man's attention with a tap on the shoulder. "Please? You've been flexing for the kids for half an hour now. Beating a little girl in a fist fight isn't that much to be proud of, is it?" she adds, narrowing her eyes a little.

"Gahahaha! I guess not, no. It's about time for us to be off, kids. Remember to train every day, to one day be as strong as I am! Gwahaha- ow!" Pretty brave of Serra, slapping Ken'ichi over the head like that. Not many people would be daring enough to even poke that guy with a ten foot pole.

"We're leaving. Don't forget my cut of the money, either!"

"Yes, Mother... ow! Not the moustache!"

"You don't even HAVE a moustache, you big oaf!"

Anyone listening in would think they're a bickering couple.

* * *

After receiving her payment, Serra makes her way back to the shrine, thankfully without incident. Up the steps, drop off a bit of the money she just earned into the donation box, and inside. "I'm back, Rei- eh?"

Reimu wasn't there. Instead, someone she'd never seen before was sitting at the kotatsu. "Ah, you returned. The Mistress had informed me that you would return about half an hour ago. Youkai troubles along the way?"

"Um... excuse me, but who are you? And why are you looking for me? And... where's Reimu?" Serra asks, placing a hand on the grip of her axe, just in case. Now that she has a moment to look at this lady, she notices something off about her. Namely the nine, golden fox tails spread out behind her. A... she's heard of this one before. What on earth was it..? Ah! A kitsune, that's right! Reading all that manga is finally paying off. She's wearing a white robe of sorts, with a weird blue apron-like... thing, in the front. Her hat is pretty odd, too. Probably to hold the ears that are no doubt hidden under them.

"I assure you, I mean no harm. If I did, you wouldn't still be standing." Ghk! How rude. "My name is Ran Yakumo. Reimu went out on an... errand. So I was told to wait for you while she's gone. I'm to take you to speak with my Mistress, Yukari Yakumo. I'm unsure why, but she has expressed an interest in you."

That's... really odd. And way too suspicious. But hey, this could be a lead on how she got here... and why she's changing so much "I'm going to kick myself for this later... but alright. I'll go. Just let me leave a note for Reimu or something." Serra responds, to which Ran nods.

"Reimu.

This person named Ran visited, saying that a 'Yukari' wants to see me. I'll... hopefully, be back pretty soon. So don't worry about me.

Serra."

"You really don't need to add that last bit."

"Oh shush, and just take me there!"

WHOSH. And then a rift in time and space opens. Filled with... eyes. Violet eyes. "Well? In you go." Ran impatiently says, pushing Serra towards it. Before she can resist, she's fallen through the rift, and swallowed up by darkness.

* * *

**I promise that Ken'ichi and Serra are not a couple. **

**That aside, it seems the overseer is making her move on poor Serra. What on Earth could be waiting for her now?**


	14. Overseer

**THUD**

"Gah! Couldn't you have opened this thing closer to the ground, not twenty feet in the air!? Sheesh!"

After falling through the gap for about three minutes, Serra had landed with a heavy thud on a wooden floor. And it _really_ hurt. Groaning, she sits up, clutching her head in pain. Clearing the stars from her eyes, she glances around, looking at her surroundings. She seems to be in some sort of dining room. Surprisingly modern for Gensoukyou. Sighing to herself, she gets to her feet.

**WOOSH**

And there's Ran, landing as gracefully as ever right beside her. "You could've told me I'd be getting aquainted with the floor from twenty feet up... sheesh that hurts..."

"My apologies. I am not the one who controls the gaps." Ran replies. 'That their official name, gaps? Rifts sounds better. I'll keep calling them rifts, thanks.' the human girl thinks to herself. "That would be the Mistress' doing."

"Right... speaking of, where is she?" Serra queries, not seeing anyone else.

"She'll be waiting for you further in. Don't go off sightseeing. It's... not wise to leave her waiting."

"Fine.. sheesh..."

* * *

A little further into the house, Serra comes across a door, which she assumes to be the right one. What gives it away? The solid gold plaque in the center with the name "Yakumo Yukari" etched into it. Probably the right one. Serra takes a deep breath, and knocks. "Enter." And she opens the door...

To be immediately greeted by a sea of purple. Walls, carpet, ceiling, everything was varying shades of purple. In the centre of the room sat a desk, surprisingly the typical brown, wood colour instead of a glaring violet, making it look pretty out of place. This is probably the office. Confirming this, behind the desk sits a mature woman, looking to be in her early thirties. Surprise surprise, even she's almost entirely purple. Aside from her blonde hair, her dress, eyes, everything is purple. Talk about obsessive. "Welcome, Serra. I expect you wonder why I've called you here today." At least she seems polite enough.

"I... guess so, yes." Serra replies, taking a seat across from Yukari. "I would kinda like to know why I'm here. And I don't mean in your home. I mean Gensokyo. I know you dragged me here, and I want to know why. I was perfectly happy back home."

"One at a time, one at a time! And please, don't take that attitude with me. This is to be a civil conversation, understand?" Yukari answers, raising an eyebrow. With a sigh, Serra nods. "Good. First, I have my own questions. How are you adapting?"

What... an odd question. "Um... okay, I suppose. But that's not to say I don't want to go back home."

"Good, good. I trust you had a pleasant sleep last night? I would certainly hope so, after the assistance I gave you~." Wait what.

"Wait wait wait wait. Are... you meaning to tell me that you're the reason I didn't have a nightmare last night? Seriously? Just how the hell does that even happen? Er... what I mean to say is, that if that is the case, then I appreciate it. But... why?"

"Well... to answer that, first I need to answer another question. Yes. I am the reason that you're in Gensokyo. But I have my reasons. I've been watching you for some time now, you know. Yes, for... hm, how long has it been now? Two years or so? Ah, hold on, I'm not done speaking yet." Yukari raised a hand to stop Serra before she even had a chance to talk. "Yes, it was about two years ago that I noticed you. I'm sure you've realised by now that you aren't particularly an ordinary human. There's something special about you. Your father noticed this too." Wait... Dad knew about this? Is that... "The look on your face says it all. Yes, that is the primary reason that your father trained you. That, and I had personally asked him to do so. I had intended to bring you to Gensokyo for a while now, but I needed to be sure you were prepared. And here you are."

That's... a lot to take in. "So... let me get this straight. You've been watching me... Dad knew this and so that's why he trained me... in order to come here? And... I'm not an ordinary human?"

"That's exactly right. In fact, I'd have to say you aren't human at all~"

Now that's a shocker. At least, it should be. For some odd reason... Serra feels more relieved than shocked to hear that. "Then... if I'm not human, what am I?"

Yukari smiles. "A dream."

* * *

**Revelation. Our heroine, is not what she thought she was. But that's an awfully cryptic way to put it, Yukari... just what could she mean?**


	15. The Truth

"...okay. Whatever drugs you're taking right now, I want some. You seriously, with a straight face, just called me a dream." Serra replies to Yukari's claim, after a full minute of stunned silence. "Forgive me if my belief is that you're spouting a load of bull."

"Oh, forgiven, no problem. But I don't tell lies. That and you didn't let me finish."

'I gave you plenty of time to finish, you damn hag!' is what Serra wants to say, but refrains from doing so. "Well? Go on."

"Don't get snippy with me, child. I understand this is a lot to take in, but hold your temper. What I was going to say, is that you are a dream spirit. A being born from dreams. Take a guess as to whose dream you were born from."

"...my parents?"

"Bingo, let's all give her a round of applause." And there actually was applause. Now she knows she's being mocked. "Yes. Your parents had tried for many years, but they could not bear a child. It was all that was on their mind for a long time. All that was in their dreams. And then... you appeared. You weren't born, you simply appeared in their home one day, a healthy child."

That... would explain why her memory is completely blank from below age six. If she was 'born' from dreams, as a six year old child... then of course, it would explain it.

"Then, my brother..?"

"Adopted. He is not a dream child."

Well that's one load off of the mind. But still... "I still beg your forgiveness, but I can't accept this as true. Not yet. I... need more time to think."

"Take all the time you need. When you're ready to talk more, I'll send for you again. Now, back to the shrine with you. Reimu is waiting."

Oh jeez, Reimu! That's right! She completely forgot. "R-right, please do so."

And then a gap opened right beneath Serra, the moment she said those words. And without warning, she fell...

* * *

...onto a surprisingly soft landing. Sitting up, she glances around, hearing a groan from somewhere. "Reimu..? Where are you?"

"Down... here... ow.." came a muffled voice. Glancing down, Serra shrieks and jumps a mile.

"W-wah! I-I'm so sorry!" she cries, scrambling to the fallen shrine maiden and helping her up...

**WHAM**

And she was met by a gohei straight to the head, knocking her flat on her back. "Owwwwwwww... wh-what was that for...?" she whimpers, clutching her aching head.

"Hmph! I should ask you the same, attacking me like that! And after I allowed you to stay in my home... ungrateful little.."

"W-wait! I didn't attack you! Yukari dropped me here! S-so... she must've dropped me on you... I-I'm so sorry!"

The name Yukari seems to be some sort of switch for the shrine maiden. The moment Serra says the word, she facepalms, and growls. "God... dammit... Yukari... I swear I'm going to kill you..."

"U-um... while you do that... I'm going to sleep..." Serra quietly says, and slinks off to her room without another word.

Whew... what an exhausting day... she needs sleep... lots of it...

* * *

**Mostly a filler chapter here. I swear there'll be more action really soon.**


End file.
